Story ID: GPboeingod05112021
Max Delivery Halt Tempers Boeing’s April Total
By: Gregory Polek
Caption: Along with delivering 17 airplanes during April, Boeing saw its third straight month of positive net order totals.
Word Count: 324
Boeing CEO David Calhoun’s recent projection for “very light” delivery volumes for the 737 Max proved accurate during the month of April, as the company delivered just four of the narrowbodies before halting shipments due to an electrical grounding problem tied to the airplane’s flight deck and power control units. According to the company’s most recent adjustment to its order and delivery database, Boeing shipped a total of 17 airplanes during April out of a total of 94 machines for the year.

In terms of orders, Boeing experienced another mildly encouraging month, as lessors begin to see customers reactivate delivery contracts while airlines slowly begin to purchase airplanes for replacement and potential growth amid an uneven market recovery.  The company reported its third consecutive month of positive order figures, registering a net total of eight airplanes.    

By model breakdown, Boeing delivered nine 787s last month, including one 787-8 to American Airlines, three 787-9s to Air Lease Corporation, two -9s to Japan Airlines, and one each to United Airlines, All Nippon Airlines, and Atlantis Aviation Corporation. Other widebody deliveries included two 767s—one 767 Freighter to FedEx and one KC-46 Tanker to the U.S. Air Force—and two 777 Freighters to DHL.

Of the four 737 Maxes delivered, three went to Southwest Airlines and one went to Air Lease.

Meanwhile, gross orders totaled 25 airplanes, including five 777 Freighters to Azerbaijan’s Silk Way West Airlines, fourteen 737 Maxes to Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE), three Maxes for Air Lease, and three to an unidentified customer.

Boeing de-booked orders for 17 Max airplanes last month, including eight for SMBC Aviation Capital, three for Air Lease, three for Irish lessor Timaero, two for South Africa’s Comair, and one for Gecas.

A renegotiated contract for earlier delivery positions prompted Air Lease’s cancellation of its orders for three of the airplanes and simultaneous orders for three others.